Mary Anne's Problem
by Elizabeth8289
Summary: Mary Anne was invited to spend Spring Vacation with Logan and his family to visit his cousin & his dad's brother and sister-in-law. Then she got back home in Maine, she ended up with a big surprise. She found out she was pregnant! What is she going to do? On top of that, she's diabetes, so how can she handle it during her pregnancy in order to have a healthy baby?
1. Kentucky, Here We Come!

The Baby-Sitters Club belongs to Ann M. Martin.

I was driving to Stoneybrook. I've been driving for quite sometime now. I'm sixteen and a junior at Portland Voc-Tech High School. I'm Mary Anne Spier and a resident of Stoneybrook, Connecticut for a long time until recently. I'm in Fashion Design shop. I'll be graduating a year from June and I want to attend Stoneybrook Community College to be a major in Fashion Design. I want to be a Fashion Designer while I'm in college or maybe before. I was alone since I can't have a passenger until I'm eighteen, so my stepsister, Dawn Schafer, is learning how to drive, too. She wanted to have a driver's license in California where she grew up until her mom, Sharon, got divorced back in seventh grade.

See, her mom grew up here and happened to be my dad's girlfriend in high school. Sounds exciting, huh? Then they broke and went separate ways. My mom died many years ago and Dad raised me all by himself. Sharon was still married and had Dawn as her first child. She had Jeff three years later. After the divorce, she moved her kids back to Stoneybrook all the way from California. Sharon ended up seeing Dad and married him. They're happy together now. Jeff was never happy there and moved back to be with his father.

Dad's a lawyer. When I was a tenth grader at Stoneybrook High School, he learned he was going to be promoted AND transferred to Portland, Maine. They moved there and I joined after Christmas Vacation when Annie on National Tour ended when I was sixteen. Mr. Jackson, the director of Annie, said I was getting too old to play Annie anyway. The problem is that I'm very shy and get nervous pretty easily. I was very upset and angry when I found out about that. I didn't want to leave my home in Stoneybrook. Luckily, I get to visit whenever I want. I can't wait to move back there when it's time for college. I usually stay with my boyfriend, Logan Bruno, who lives on Burnt Hill Road where I used to live with my dad and stepfamily. It was Spring Vacation and was invited to spend the week in Kentucky to visit Logan's cousin, Lewis and his parents.

I also have two wonderful adopted siblings. Carlos lost his family eight years ago and Meredith Sousa-an exchange student from London, England-lost her family three years apart in a tourbus crash. Carlos took it bad, too, since he grew up across town where my best friend, Kristy Thomas, lived with her family that includes her mother, stepfather, three brothers, an adopted sister, two stepsiblings, and her grandmother. Her father returned to Stoneybrook nearly two years ago and Kristy visits him on weekends. She still lives with her family full-time. She would be with her father, stepmom, and her sister, Krystal, during Spring Vacation.

In Stoneybrook, I went over to the Brunos'. When I got there, I got out and went up to the door as I rang the doorbell.

"Mary Anne's here," said Logan's younger sister, Kerry, who is twelve.

She swung the door open excitedly.

"Hi, Mary Anne!" exclaimed Kerry.

"Hi yourself," I said as she giggled.

"Hi, Mary Anne, dear," said Mrs. Bruno.

"Hi, Mrs. Bruno," I said.

"Come on in. We'll be leaving in an hour or so," said Mrs. Bruno.

"Are we taking a taxi?" I asked.

"Mr. Thomas is nice enough to give us a ride to the airport," replied Mrs. Bruno.

"Okay. Sounds good," I said.

"Hi, Mary Anne," said Logan who was thrilled to see me as usual.

"Hi, Logan," I said.

An hour later, I got my suitcase to put it in Mr. Thomas' van. Once the others did the same, we headed to the airport. At the airport, our plane wasn't there yet. It came thirteen minutes later. Logan and I sat together. We can't wait to spend the whole Spring Vacation together. It's going to be fun. We've been going out since we were thirteen.

I take Yasmin birth control every day for about a year. See, he wants me to sleep in the same bed with him. Imagine if Dad finds out I came home pregnant? He would probably kill me for that. He used to be very strict when I was growing up until I was twelve. My life was much better after I stood up to him by proving him that I wasn't a baby anymore. In Kentucky, after we got our suitcases, we took a taxi to Lewis'. He was on front porch waiting for us.

"Hi, Lewis," said Logan.

"Hi, Logan," said Lewis. "Hi, Mary Anne."

"Hi to you, too," I said.

"What have you been up to? I haven't seen you since last year," said Lewis.

"Nothing much," I said.

"How have you been doing in Maine?" asked Lewis.

"Pretty good," I said. "I can't wait to go back to Stoneybrook to attend Stoneybrook Community College next year."

"Good for you," said Lewis.

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem. Come in. My parents went to get pizza for dinner. That's what we're having," said Lewis.

"Okay," said Logan.

"Sounds good," said Mrs. Bruno.

Mr. Bruno's brother and sister-in-law came back home with pizza. Lewis told me they ordered plain pizza with salad and garlic bread. I used to have two favorite toppings: cheese and pepperoni, but unfortunately, I can't eat process cheese because I have diabetes. It's actually brittle, but it's not a big deal. I can handle it just fine. Lewis' parents already knew, so they ordered pizza without cheese for. But I can eat salad though. At dinner, I ate two pieces of cheeseless pizza.

"If you want to have another piece of pizza, you can," said Lewis' mom.

"Thanks, but I'm getting stuffed with two pieces of pizza. May I get another water though?" I asked.

"Help yourself," replied Lewis' mom.

That's what I did. Later, my stomach was starting to hurt. I took TUMS and it felt better. Logan and I were on the front porch looking at the stars.

"I can take you to the park tomorrow," said Logan.

"As in for lunch?" I asked.

"Yeah," smiled Logan.

"Okay. Sounds good to me," I said. "I think we should include Lewis as well."

"I was going to ask him if he wants to join us afterwards anyway," said Logan.

"Oh, okay," I said.


	2. The Fun Spring Vacation

The next day, Logan, Lewis, and I went to the park for lunch. Kerri and Hunter wanted to join, but Mrs. Bruno told them to let us go on our own today. They're well-behaved kids and I love them dearly. They're dying to be my sister-in-law and brother-in-law one day.

At the park, we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, and talked about what to do later on.

"We can go to the beach tonight," suggested Lewis as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Aren't we going there as a family anyway?" asked Logan after swallowing his bite.

"I meant while we're there, silly," said Lewis playfully, and we all laughed.

I had a stomach ache that morning, so I didn't take my birth control pills yet. I decided to do that when we got back home before tonight. After lunch, we stayed at the park for awhile, and then we went back home. When we got back, I went to my purse to go take Yasmin before I'd forget to do so later before leave for the beach. When I got it out, I noticed I had none left. I knew I didn't take it this morning since I had an upset stomach. I must have had that yesterday. Uh-oh. I went over to Mrs. Bruno.

"Is there a drug store nearly? I noticed I ran out of Y-a-s-m-i-n," I said with a blush, feeling self-conscious about having to ask Logan's mother, of all people, for birth control. "I didn't take it this morning because I had an upset stomach. I must of took the last one yesterday."

"You can call Walgreens to have that refilled and you can get it before we go to the beach," suggested Mrs. Bruno.

"Okay," I said, and I went to use the cell phone to call Walgreens to have Yasmin refilled.

It was all set after that. It would take fifteen minutes. I went to Mrs. Bruno.

"It'll be ready in fifteen minutes," I said.

"Okay," said Mrs. Bruno. "It's down the road from here."

"Don't you think your brother-in-law would let me borrow his car since I drive now?" I asked. "I've been driving since winter vacation."

"You can check with him to make sure he's okay with it," said Mrs. Bruno.

I did, and he said it was fine by him. I had already showed him my driver's license. Ten minutes later, I left for Walgreens. Mrs. Bruno told me where to go. I had no trouble finding it. I walked into the store and asked the pharmacy for Yasmin birth control. They asked me for my name and they gave it to me as I paid them. I thanked them and left to go back. When I got back to the Bruno's home, I went in with Yasmin in my purse.

"All set?" asked Mrs. Bruno.

"Yes. Thanks," I replied. "I didn't have any problems going there and coming back."

"That's good," said Mrs. Bruno.

"I just need to take it now before I'd forget to do so," I said as I went to the bathroom to take Yasmin with water.

That night, we left for the beach for six and we didn't come back until around eleven. Lewis, Logan, and I did stroll around the beach like we planned. Logan gave me a piggy back and nearly dropped me in the water, so I got off and splashed him for fun.

"Hey!" laughed Logan. "Wait until I get you for this."

We had fun splashing each other for the next several minutes, happy and carefree.

"You two will be soaked as rats by the time we leave," laughed Lewis.

Logan and I nodded and without him looking, we filled a bucket of water and sneaked behind him.

"On the count to three," whispered Logan. "One."

"Two," I whispered.

"Three," we both said as we splashed him.

"Very funny," said a now wet Lewis.

"You asked for it," said Logan as we laughed.

We kept playing around until it was almost time to leave at ten-thirty, so we had to dry off. We had so much fun.

At home, I called Dad and told him everything. He laughed about it. I laughed as well. The next day, Logan woke me when he kissed me near my cheek.

"Morning, princess," whispered Logan softly.

I smiled and said, "Morning to you, too."

"It's nearly ten o'clock," said Logan as his fingers lightly brushed my hair.

"I was tired. I just had fun last night," I yawned as I sat up in bed.

"I bet," said Logan with a grin. "Mom said you, Lewis, and I get to hang out tonight."

"Where do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Lewis got invited to watch a movie with our friend, Carla Lynn Holmes. So, we're both going. You'll meet her," explained Logan.

"What time is that?" I asked.

"From six to eleven, so we need to be home after that," replied Logan.

"Okay," I said. "Who would be there?"

"Her parents would be home then," answered Logan.

I wanted to trust him, but what if none of the parents were home? We'd be in big trouble. I decided that if I saw no one there, I'd go home by pretending to have a headache or to make a phone call or something. Thankfully, both of Carla's parents were home when we arrived. Good. I'm not very comfortable going to anyone's house when there are no adults home.

We were watching _Titanic_. I like that movie, but it's sad at the end when the ship sinks and all those people die in the water.

When the movie ended, it was only ten-thirty.

"I think we should get going soon," I said.

"It's not even eleven yet," pointed out Logan.

"Mary Anne's right," agreed Lewis. "We did promise Mom we'd be home after the movie."

"You two can go without me," said Logan.

"Mom's going to be mad if you're late afterwards," warned Lewis.

"And you can't walk in the dark since we took your uncle's car," I added.

"Why don't we leave at ten-fifty?" asked Logan. "It's up the street."

We looked at the clock.

"It _is_ ten-fifty," said Lewis. "We must go. _Now_."

"Fine. You win," sighed Logan.

Then we went straight home. I got to drive this time. At home, we had just got in a little after eleven when Mr. Bruno met us at the door.

"Why are you all late?" asked Mr. Bruno worriedly.

"Why don't you ask Logan that?" asked Lewis.

"Um, yes, we told them we had to leave when it was ten-thirty," I added, feeling a little flustered over being caught, and also having to out Logan.

"Logan, when they tell you it is time to leave, you leave right away before you pass your curfew," scolded Mr. Bruno. "At least they knew when to go after the movie ended like you promised my sister-in-law, remember?"

"Yes, Dad," sighed Logan.

"Thank god we said the right thing," said Lewis with a sigh of relief.

"I know, I give you both credit for that," said Mr. Bruno.

"Thanks," said Lewis.

I felt glad knowing I could be trusted to do the right thing.

Or so I thought…


	3. The Positive Sign!

Later that night, Logan and I had sex, which I like to think of as love making. I especially loved lying next to Logan for several minutes afterwards, feeling happy to be here with my boyfriend.

We had fun for the next week. We went to the movies as a family, ate at a Chinese Buffet, had pizza again for lunch while I had a cheeseless piece, and went to the beach once again. When we went to the beach, I didn't feel like doing anything. I started to feel sleepy, so I sat out while Logan and Lewis went jogging on the beach.

"Aren't you going to join them, Mary Anne?" asked Mrs. Bruno.

"Not right now. I don't feel very well," I yawned. "I just want to relax."

"Okay," said Mrs. Bruno. "Let me know if you feel any better."

"Want me to take her back to the house so she can rest and I'll come back? Kerry and Hunter can stay here so she can sleep. They want to go back with her, but she won't able to rest," said Mr. Bruno.

"Yes, Kerry and Hunter will have to stay here with us," nodded Mrs. Bruno.

I nodded and closed my eyes. The next thing I knew, I felt Mrs. Bruno shaking my shoulder and asking me if I was asleep. I felt so embarrassed! I decided to go back to the house to nap for a little bit. When we got back, I began to fix myself a little "bed" on the couch.

"I'll be heading back to the beach," said Mr. Bruno. "We won't be back until after dinner. We'll be having lobsters at _Weathervane _after the beach in an hour."

I barely heard what he was saying; by that time, I had already laid myself down on the couch under a blanket and was beginning to drift off to sleep.

"See you in a while, Mary Anne," was the last thing I heard Mr. Bruno say before drifting off to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later and realized something: Did I take any of Yasmin birth control pills? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I only took two since I had it refilled. But I had been having such a miserable time with my stomach that I forgot about it. And I remembered something else: My period was due in one week, and Logan and I slept together last week…right in the middle of my cycle when I'd be most likely to get pregnant.

I heard Logan's parents come back, and I decided to take a walk on the porch. During that time, I worried about what I would do if I was pregnant, and if I kept the baby. Who would watch my baby while I'm at school? My Grandma Verna, who lives with us, is very sick and lost her hearing not long ago. Sharon and Dad both work during the day. Carlos and Meredith would be at school. And obviously, Dawn would be at school with me.

After walking around on the porch, I went inside to use the phone to call Dad. He told me he had to work late until eight tonight, so I can still call him at work. He works at Mark C. Cogan Law Office. He doesn't work late much only if he was told to do so. The manager is Mark Cogan and the secretary is Carla Rivers- Cindy's sister-in-law from her husband's side. I had met her already and she was very nice to me. I miss not seeing Randy though. I liked him. He was the one who promoted and transferred Dad to Maine.

I called his work number and Carla answered.

"Mark C. Cogan Law Office," said Carla.

"Hi, Carla," I said.

"Hi, Mary Anne, how are you doing?" asked Carla.

"Good," I said. I decided not to say anything about my suspicion about being pregnant until the time for my period rolled around—then I'd get a better answer. "May I talk to Dad, please?"

"Hold on for one moment," said Carla.

"Okay. Thanks," I smiled. I listened to the bouncy receptionist music for a minute before Dad came on.

"Hi, pumpkin, what's up?" asked Dad.

"Nothing much," I said, using one finger to twirl a strand of hair.

"I thought you'd be out at the beach by now," commented Dad, "Are you feeling well?"

"I was feeling tired, so Mr. Bruno was kind enough to bring me back so I could sleep for a little bit," I said, being as honest as I could for the time being.

"That's good," said Dad. "Just try to get some more sleep."

"I will," I nodded.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again in a few days," said Dad.

"I know. Same here," I agreed.

"I'm taking Monday off to spend the afternoon with you after you return from school," said Dad.

"I'm planning to go to Dunkin' Donuts on the way, so we do that afterwards," I said. Briefly, I thought about whether or not donuts would be good for the baby—then I told myself I was being silly; I didn't know if I was even having a baby!

"That's fine," said Dad.

"Maybe we can spend our afternoon at around three-fifteen? Does that sound okay?" I asked.

"Not a problem," said Dad.

"I can get you since I'll be in my car. Want me to honk the horn?" I asked.

"It's up to you or I'll be on the porch," said Dad.

"If I don't see you on the porch, I'll honk the horn. Do you want anything from Dunkin' Donuts?" I asked.

"You can get me medium iced coffee, light, no sugar," said Dad.

"Okay," I said.

After we talked, I was tired and decided to get to bed at nine. I left the lights on so the others won't have to come home in the dark and bump into everything. Surprisingly, I fell asleep with almost no difficulty in spite of my worries.

Two days later, we left for the eleven AM flight and when we got in Stoneybrook two hours later, Mr. Thomas was there to bring us home. As soon as we got home, I had my suitcase in my trunk.

"I should get going now," I said. "Thanks for inviting me on this vacation."

"Not a problem. Lewis and his parents will be here all summer long if you want to come down to see them," said Mrs. Bruno with a smile.

"Sounds good. Bye, Mrs. Bruno. Where are Logan and the crew so I can go say good-bye to them?" I asked.

That was when Logan, Kerry, and Hunter came out to say their good-byes to me.

"Bye," I said. I smiled at Logan, wondering what he would say if he knew there was a chance he was going to be a father.

I went to my car and started it up as I backed up and drove away to Portland, Maine. On the way, I noticed the gas tank was almost empty, so I exited out from Rhode Island and had my car filled up with fuel. I continued on for another hour, until I got a flat tire in New Hampshire. I called AAA to have my tire replaced, and once I was ready to head back for the road, I went on for Maine. Unfortunately, I got stuck in a really bad traffic jam. I called my dad to let him know I'd be late, and turned on the radio.

Ten minutes later, it was finally time to pass, and I arrived home in less than twenty minutes at six in the evening. I arrived just in time to be greeted by the smell of fresh pizza.

"Hi, Dad," I said with a smile, and I gave Dad a hug before setting down my luggage.

"Hi, sweetie," said Dad with a returning smile. "Just in time. We ordered pizza from Portland House of Pizza. I got the pizza without cheese for you."

"Swell," I said, trying not to take in the smell too much as it was a bit overwhelming. "It's quiet here. Where is everyone else?"

"Sharon has to work late until nine and Dawn started her new job at Nickelodeon Portland Movies today, so she's working until eight-thirty," explained Dad. "Meredith and Carlos are at a sleepover, and your grandmother is at the hospital."

"Is she all right?" I asked, feeling worried.

"She's going for a check-up," explained Dad, "But you know how long waiting in the reception area can take. In the mean time, have some pizza."

After dinner, I started to feel a bit nauseous, and I asked to be excused. I ran to the bathroom, and thankfully didn't throw up, but it did leave me even more worried. Wasn't nausea a symptom of pregnancy? Then again, I told myself, there are many causes for nausea that don't necessarily mean being pregnant; I did eat my pizza slice too fast, after all.

Just two more days, I told myself, and then I can find out for sure.

The next day, I felt better for school and in time to spend the afternoon with Dad later and I did go to Dunkin' Donuts and went to the drive-thru. I picked up our orders, and came home and had our snacks together on the porch. I can have iced coffee, but I was told to stay off from donuts. I wanted to have one, so I'm sure I can eat it as long as I take insulin. I managed to enjoy myself and push my worries out of my mind, until a few days later.

My period didn't arrive when it was supposed to, but I waited another two weeks before going to the drug store to get a pregnancy test. Thankfully, no one from school was there to see me. I took the test at home in the bathroom. After I took it, I waited for half an hour, nearly holding my breath the entire time. Finally, I let that breath out when I saw the positive sign. That was when I got terrified.

I knew what that meant: I was pregnant. I was worried about how Dad and Sharon would react to the news, but ultimately decided to go see Dawn first. We were practically sisters; she'd help me out.


	4. Mary Anne Tells Mr Spier and Sharon

Dawn came home after seven, just in time for dad and Sharon to leave to pick grandma up from the hospital, leaving the two of us alone. She had just begun to do homework when I decided to sit next to her on the bed and said, "Dawn, can we talk?"

"You look worried. Are you okay?" asked Dawn.

I fidgeted with my hands. "Well, I have a problem. I skipped a few days of birth control while on vacation. And, um, Logan and I…you know…" I blushed. "And now my period's late. So, um…I'm pregnant."

"Are you serious?" said Dawn sharply. "What will mom and Richard say?"

"I have no idea," I sighed, running one hand through my hair. "I'm worried they'll kick me out."

"I'm sure my mom would understand," said Dawn assuringly. She paused. "How far along are you?"

"I just found out today, so I have no idea," I admitted. I sighed, "What am I going to say?"

"Just tell them straight out," advised Dawn. "If they have any problem with it, I'll be there, okay?"

I smiled. "Thanks, Dawn."

"No problem," said Dawn. Then, "Wow, I can't believe you're actually pregnant…have you seen a doctor yet?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. Maybe later."

I could hardly sleep that night. I knew I had to tell Dad and Sharon, but how would they feel about this? I knew I couldn't wait much longer; I wasn't sure how far along I was, but eventually I'd begin to show.

The following night, I took them aside in the living room after dinner, feeling incredibly jittery and nervous.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" said Dad gently. He and Shannon both looked genuinely worried. I felt bad for what I was about to say.

"I'm…" I gulped and said in almost a whisper, "Pregnant."

"You're _what?"_ said Dad sharply. "When did you found out?"

"Yesterday," I said, feeling incredibly small. It all came out in a rush, about what happened with my Yasmin birth control, and my early pregnancy symptoms, and how I missed my period. When I was finished explaining, there was a silence that just about killed me. I would've rather had them yell at me than just…sit and stare.

Luckily, Dad said in a calm voice that practically scared me, "What are you going to do with the baby?"

I shook my head. "I honestly have no idea. I'm thinking about what it might be like if I kept it, but I'm not sure who would look after it while I'm at school. I'm also thinking about adoption, and you both _know_ how I feel about abortion."

I paused, thinking about another possible solution. "Maybe…maybe I could find a daycare. Or maybe I could see if one of my friends has a stay-at-home parent who could watch the baby, like maybe April's mom. If it doesn't burden them _too_ much," I added quickly, "But I'll think about it for a while."

"Mary Anne Spier," Dad began in that tone that frightened me, "Do you have any idea how much responsibility it is to raise a child, especially at your age? I trusted you to be more responsible than this with that _boy."_

"Richie," said Sharon sharply, "She didn't say she _would_ keep it. She said she'll think about it."

I felt relieved to know I might possibly have Sharon on my side. She might at least support me, even if Dad was mad at me.


	5. The Ultrasound Appointment

The next day, I left for school feeling at least a bit more assured. Earlier, I had called up April and explained my situation to her, and she said she would see if her mother could look after the baby if I kept it. That afternoon, when I got home from school, I made a phone call to Portland Clinic and made an appointment for Friday after school at three in the afternoon.

"Do you need either of us to go with you that day?" asked Sharon.

"I'll be all set. Thanks anyway," I answered.

"If you need us, let us know," sighed Dad, who was still taking his time adjusting to the news.

"Okay," I said. I hoped Dad wasn't going to stay mad forever.

On Friday after school, I went to the Portland Clinic. I sat in the waiting room for only ten minutes (but what felt like ten hours) when the doctor came to say she was ready for me.

"Hello, how are you doing?" asked the doctor, who had a friendly smile.

"Fine thanks," I replied. I meant it; seeing her smile put me at ease by a bit.

"Right this way," said the doctor as she began to lead me down the hall. "I'm Dr. Allyson Andrews and I'll be your obstetrician during your pregnancy."

In her office, we went over some of my medical information, including the approximate date of my last period and the average length of my cycle. She told me I was about five weeks along, and that I was due on December 20th.

"Here's your schedule book," said Dr. Andrews, handing me a book, "Your last appointment would be at least seven days before your due date."

"Alright. As in on December 13th?" I asked as she nodded. We went over some more information, including how to follow a proper diet for my condition.

At the end of the conversation, she asked me, "Are you sure about having this baby? It's a huge responsibility at your age."

"I haven't decided yet since I just found out," I replied.

"And, you'd have to be very careful on how to handle your diabetes during pregnancy in order to have a healthy baby," added the doctor.

"Okay," I said.

She gave me great advice on how to handle it. I'm sure I would make it just time.

When I got back home, I went to get some water.

"How did it go?" asked Dad stiffly.

"The doctor told me I'm five weeks along and I'll be due on December 20th," I replied as I filled up a glass in the kitchen.

"That's not too bad," said Dad in the same, stiff tone.

"I know," I agreed. "I'm still thinking of what to do, since it's only eight more months."

"True," sighed Dad. Then, "Are you serious about keeping this baby?"

"I'm still thinking about it," I said as I added what the doctor told me about diabetes. I braced myself for Sharon's incoming argument with Dad about leaving me alone and ran upstairs. I appreciated Sharon's help, and I understood Dad was only worried about how I was going to manage my future, but I really hated it when they argued over it.

That night, I decided to keep it. Or at least, leaned towards keeping it. I'd gotten used to the idea of motherhood by that point, and I knew it would be hard. I had heard many girls my age especially had a hard time with it. I was still feeling a bit unsure about my decision, but I hoped those baby-sitting skills I picked up when I was in the club would be useful for _something._

I was still contemplating my decision the next morning at breakfast when Sharon asked, "Have you made your decision?"

"Sort of, but I'm not sure yet," I said slowly, "I think I might keep it. I mean, I think I might be able to manage with my homework if I time it just right. And when it's time for college, I could go to a community college during the daytime. Plus, I've had experience with looking after babies before…"

"But temporarily looking after another person's baby and caring for your own baby full-time are two _very_ different things," said Dad sternly. "You're taking a naïve approach to this."

"Richard, at least she's _trying_ to take responsibility," said Sharon, looking up from her coffee.

"Oh, um, look at the time," I said quickly, "I need to get out for a while." I got up and went out for a walk around the neighborhood, hoping to clear my head up with all this baby business.


	6. Mary Anne's Final Decision

The next day, I drove over to the Franklin's house, having been asked to baby-sit for them a short while ago. I had started baby-sitting for the Franklin's shortly after we moved here. Luca and Lila are well-behaved kids. I never have trouble with them. I had been watching for Luca for a while, and not too long ago, Lila was a newborn baby when I started watching for her, too. Now she's eighteen months old and already a bright, bubbly little girl.

"Luca's having his snack in the kitchen and I just put Lila down for her nap ten minutes ago," said Mrs. Franklin as she began to get ready to leave, "She should sleep until we get back, but if she wakes up before then, read to her for a bit."

"Okay," I said. I was pretty familiar with the drill by now.

"In case of an emergency, you can call on my cell phone or my husband at work. He's working until eight," continued Mrs. Franklin, putting her coat on.

"No problem," I said.

"You might have to watch the kids for a few days this month because my husband has to go on a business trip starting Saturday if I can't get a hold of my sister," added Mrs. Franklin, "I've been trying to call her, but no answer. In a week, I'll be starting my new job at Portland Nursing Home. I'll be gone from four to eleven." She looked guilty. "I really don't want to feel like I'm springing this on you at the last minute, but…"

"It's all right," I assured her, "It's only till he gets back, right?"

I really didn't mind at all. The Franklin's were the nicest parents I had met. I had met them at April's BBQ cookout on the fourth of July. I had told them of my past baby-sitting experience with the BSC, and they started using me almost immediately.

Lila was such an angel; she didn't wake up from her nap until Mrs. Franklin returned. I could only hope my own baby would be this easy. She paid and thanked me, then I left for home. That night, I learned she managed to get a hold of her sister, leaving me more time to think about my decision.

After talking to Mrs. Franklin on the phone about her sister, I felt nauseous, and went to get a drink of water in the kitchen. It was there that I saw Sharon who said, "So, you're still thinking about keeping the baby, huh? Just keep in mind this could be difficult."

"I know," I sighed, "I just hope I can prove to Dad I'll be a good mother."

"You know your father is only worried about you," assured Sharon, "He'll come to accept it in time. I'll look into finding a parenting class for you, if possible. I'm not sure if there are classes for teen mothers, but I'll check it out." Then, "Have you told Logan yet?"

"No," I said. I had been putting it off for a while; I knew Logan wouldn't be mad, but at the same time I wasn't sure if he would be all that excited, either. "I'll give him a call right now."

I went to my room with the portable phone. I anxiously dialled Logan's home phone number, and waited as the dial tone rang…rang…

"Hi, Mary Anne, what's up?" asked Logan's voice.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked, feeling my stomach tie up in knots

"We just got a new phone with an ID caller," replied Logan.

"Oh, I see," I said. "Anyway, I'm calling to tell you something."

"Spill the beans," teased Logan.

I bit my lip and paused before saying, "I'm pregnant."

There was a five-second silence before Logan said, "You sure?"

"Yes. I already went to see a doctor," I said, feeling nervous in anticipation for Logan's answer, "I'll be due on December 20th."

"Wow," said Logan with a low whistle.

"And I'm planning on keeping it," I said slowly, hoping he wouldn't be_ too_ mad.

"Swell," muttered Logan, though he didn't sound entirely happy about it.

"I'm looking into finding a sitter or daycare to look after the baby during the day, if possible," I went on, hoping not to worry him _too_ much.

"What about for college?" asked Logan.

"Probably daycare," I said. "Grandma Verna is very sick and I wouldn't want to put too much pressure on her to have her to look after it." I paused. "Well…bye."

"Bye," said Logan stiffly.

I hung up and let out a breathe. That went over better than I had expected.


	7. The Sad News About Grandma Verna

_In Loving Memory of Verna Baker_

_Beloved mother of the late Alma Spier and the widow of Bill Baker_

A week later, Grandma Verna was admitted to the hospital after suddenly having a stroke. She had trouble speaking and she couldn't move one of her arms. I worried about her all day in school, and could barely concentrate on my work. Finally, it got to the point where I knew I couldn't spend the rest of the day in school without knowing how my grandmother would be. I got permission from the principal to go after my explaining my situation, and arrived at the hospital to meet Dad in the reception area.

There was still some coldness between us, but I asked, "How's Grandma doing?"

"She's doing better," said Dad, "Hopefully, she should be out within a few days."

I hoped Dad was right.

When I got home that day, I don't know if was the stress or maybe it was just time for the symptoms to start showing up, but everything seemed to hit me all at once: I spent about ten minutes in the bathroom feeling extremely nauseous before vomiting. And a few hours afterwards, my back started to ache. Somehow, though I don't know how, I managed to fall asleep.

I woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. Then I heard a voice in the kitchen, and then lowered voices. I got out of bed and ran down to the kitchen, hoping nothing else had happened to Grandma.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It's about your grandmother," said Sharon, rubbing her forehead.

"What?" I asked. "Is she okay?"

Before Sharon could answer, Dad got off the phone and came to us.

"I'm sorry, Mary Anne," he said softly, "Your grandmother passed away an hour ago."

"What? Are you serious?" I asked trying not to cry.

"Yes, I'm afraid," said Dad.

That was when I started crying, feeling an overwhelming sadness.

"She can't be gone. She just can't," I sobbed.

And for the first time in weeks, Sharon and Dad finally hugged me. I cried for the next several minutes before going up to bed and crying myself to sleep.

The next day, I hoped it was just a bad dream. Unfortunately, I knew it was real when I talked to Dad about it.

"They're going to bring her to Iowa to be buried there since your grandfather is there," said Dad.

"Oh," I said. I looked down. "She would've been a great-grandmother for the first time if she didn't die."

"Yes, she would," muttered Dad, lowering his eyes. I could tell talking about it still upset him.

"When will she be moved?" I asked.

"This weekend," replied Dad.

"Am I still going to school until then?" I asked him.

"Yes," replied Dad. "You and I are going to attend her funeral."

"What about Sharon? She liked her, too," I said.

"She wanted to go, but she has to work late over the weekend," said Dad. Then, "Are you sure you'll be all right to attend the funeral?"

"I…I think I'll be okay," I said quietly. It felt like I was losing everyone I loved in my life. My mom…Kayla…now Grandma.


	8. The Wake Hours

I had a tough day at school even though I tried to push Grandma Verna's death out of my mind so I could concentrate in my classes. Somehow, I managed, and did pretty good on my tests, which is a good sign. April was there to help me concentrate and feel better. I felt lucky to have her as my friend. Later, after school, at home, I was able to concentrate to do my homework. Afterwards, I headed down to the beach for a little while before heading back.

However, I had a lot of difficulty falling asleep that night. I missed Grandma Verna a lot. I don't know what time I managed to fall asleep at, but eventually I did, and I had a somewhat bizarre yet tragic dream…

_Grandma Verna, Kayla, Dad, and I were on the Titanic to the Bahamas when all of a sudden the cruise ship crashed into an iceberg. The next thing I knew, the ship was looking funny. That was when I noticed it was sinking! Uh-oh. What was I going to do? I was trapped. I nearly screamed and almost fell out of the ship. Luckily, Dad had the raft._

_"Come on, hurry before the ship sinks," said Dad urgently._

_I was scared, but I managed to jump off. Luckily, I had the life jacket on and came on the raft._

_"Wait! Where's Grandma Verna and Kayla?" I asked. "Aren't they still on the ship?"_

_That was when I saw them drowning._

_"Granny! Kayla!" I called out to them._

_I kept my life jacket on and took off to get them, but they were sinking below. I was too scared to go under there to grab them, so I grabbed the life saver and managed to catch them to pull up and swam away back to the raft with them._

_"That was very smart thinking," said Dad who watched the whole thing._

_"I'm glad I got them in time. Look," I said._

_When the ship sank all the way, it was crushing a bunch of the crew and passengers. But then I saw a newspaper headline declaring Grandma and Kayla dead!_

I gasped and my eyes shot open. Standing just above me was Dad, who said, "Mary Anne, honey? Are you okay?"

I was shaking as I sat up in bed.

"What was it about?" asked Dad who was trying to calm me a bit.

"We—we were on the Titanic going to the Bahamas," I said, my throat dry, "Then—then it hit an iceberg and it sank. You and I were on a raft. Grandma and Kayla were drowning by the time I saved them. It made no sense, but—but it was still awful!"

"It'll be all right," said Dad in a gentle tone I hadn't heard him use since I told him I was pregnant.

"I miss them," I said as I hugged him and started crying.

"I know, honey," said Dad gently.

I cried softly until I somehow fell asleep. I woke up to see Sharon standing just above me. "Your father was telling me you had a rough night," she said. "Are you okay?"

"I haven't slept very well," I said, rubbing my eyes. "I'm still not used to Grandma being dead, so is it okay if I stay home from school just for today?"

"Okay," replied Sharon. "You get some rest."

I fell back asleep and stayed home from school. When I woke up, Dad was coming into my room.

"Hi, honey," said Dad. "How come you're not in school?"

"I still feel kind of tired from last night," I admitted, "Sharon's letting me stay home from school. I just hope I'll get some sleep tonight and forget about missing Kayla and Grandma."

On Friday, Dad and I flew to Maynard, Iowa, where Grandma Verna's body was sent in the casket the day before. The wake took place the following night at the Maynard Funeral Home from five to seven while the funeral set for the morning after at nine and her burial was at Maynard Cemetery, which is where Grandpa Bill is buried as well. Tina and Bob invited me and Dad to stay with them for the funeral.

"I'm sorry for your lost," said Bob, shaking my hand.

"Thanks, I'm going to miss her a lot, but I'll be okay," I said. I hoped not to embarrass myself _too_ much by breaking down in tears.

"My mom and I will be going," said Bob. "See you."

That night, we ate dinner a bit early, so we had to be at the wake for five. I wore a black and white dress. I left my hair loose. At the Maynard Funeral Home, I saw some flowers that were sent by my friends. They must have known about it. I'd been trying not to cry during the wake, but it failed. I did it softly while Bob held my hand to comfort me. Dad had his arm around me. Later, at home, I was still crying in the guestroom. I had just gotten into my nightgown then.

I heard my Dad knock on the door and he came in to be with me.

"Are you okay now, honey?" asked Dad. "This funeral is painful for you, isn't it?"

I nodded and said, "I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I don't know if I should just attend the burial instead of the funeral. I know where the cemetery is."

"Okay, it's up to you," said Dad. He stood up. "Get some sleep, honey."

I nodded and got under the covers. Grief and hormones did not mix well together at all.


	9. The Funeral and the Burial

The next day, I told my Dad I didn't want to attend the funeral, just the burial. An hour later, everyone else left for the funeral. At nine-thirty, I got dressed up in my black shirt with black pants. I left the house fifteen minutes later for the cemetery. No one was there yet when I got to Grandpa Bill's grave. His picture with Grandma Verna had been placed there. I went to sit on the chair in the front row. Everyone arrived five minutes later. Then the casket was being carried to the grave. Dad, Tina, and Bob came to join me. I sat for ten minutes in silence and left because I almost started crying when the casket was going down. I went over to the entrance. I started crying again when I got there. Dad must have known I had left because he came to me putting his hand on my shoulder while I hugged him.

"It's going to be okay now, honey," said Dad comforting me.

At the Maynard Church Hall, I was in there for awhile and then, left to go outside to sit near the tree.

"Is Mary Anne okay?" I heard Ella Stone, Grandma's hairdresser, ask my Dad.

"She's still having a rough time missing Verna," I heard Dad say.

The two went inside together before I saw Ella Stone's daughter, Michelle, walk up to me looking worried.

"Are you going to be okay now?" asked Michelle.

"I'm still going to miss Grandma Verna," I said tearfully. "I'm really sad she won't get to see her great-grandchild."

"You mean you're pregnant?" asked Michelle.

I nodded and said, "I'm due in December, and I'm keeping it." I paused before saying, "If it's a girl, I'm naming it Verna Alma; and if it's a boy, I'm going to name it Cameron Richard."

"I like those names. Your grandmother would love that," said Michelle.

"I was still planning on it when she was still alive," I sighed mournfully.

Michelle looked down at her watch. "What time you have to leave?"

"Dad and I are taking the two o'clock flight," I replied.

I looked up at the sky, which suddenly seemed all the more beautiful. The name "Cameron" reminded me of Cam Geary, whom I looked forward to seeing again in the summer. If nothing else, it would help take my mind off my worries for a little while.


	10. Mr Spier Locks Mary Anne Out

That afternoon, we arrived back in Portland, Maine. At home, I changed and went with April to the beach for a little while, which cheered me up a bit, but I still missed Grandma greatly. And things with Dad were still tense.

One month later, there was a day where things with Dad nearly fell apart. First of all, my car broke down after school and had to call the repair shop to get my car there. Then, I had to take a cab for home. I paid him and went on to the porch as the taxi drove away. When I tried to get in, the door was locked. And Dad _never _leaves the door locked; he _always _knows when I'm coming home. To make matters worse, it was raining.

"Oh, come on, Dad, you can't do this to me," I moaned, "I'm your daughter!"

I noticed there was a lock at the back door, so I couldn't get in from that way either. Luckily, I had some extra money in the pockets of my jacket. I took a bus to Mark C Cogan office, where I marched straight to Dad's office to confront him.

"Hey, look who's here," said Mark with a smile. I ignored him, not in the mood to greet anyone.

"Hi, hon," said Dad, looking up from his papers. "Did something happen?"

"Yes," I said angrily, "And you know what happened—_you _locked me out!"

Dad closed his eyes and said, "Mary Anne, we don't have the time to talk about this right now. But just so you know, I didn't lock you out on purpose. I forgot, and…"

"So this has _nothing_ to do with the baby?" I said, still furious.

"No, it does not," Dad began, but I interrupted: "I'm calling Sharon." I marched out of the office, gave Sharon a call, and she took me home and unlocked the doors. She was really angry when Dad came home that night.

"Don't you ever lock Mary Anne out again," said Sharon angrily.

"Sharon, I'm sorry," sighed Dad, "I was in a hurry, I forgot to unlock the doors for Mary Anne…"

"I'll accept it being an honest mistake," said Sharon, sitting down, "But Mary Anne thought it had something to do with your feelings about what she's going to do about the baby, so I think it's time we talked about it. Mary Anne has faced her situation with incredible maturity for someone her age, and is _trying_ to make it work."

"But the thing is, if she misses too much school, she'll fall behind," argued Dad. "And part of this is her fault for having pre-marital sex in the first place, which I'm _very_ much against, and she should know that."

"I'm _trying_ to make sure I don't miss school!" I cried out, my frustration and anger pouring out. "I'm _trying_ to make it work! I know I made a mistake, but I'm _trying _to make up for it! Why can't you just…"

I got up and ran up to my room, where I cried and cried until it was dinnertime. It seemed like nothing would _ever_ work out right for me.


	11. The Phone Call for Parenting Classes

After dinner, Dad came up to my room to apologize.

"I'm truly sorry for what happened," he said, "This is all still a shock to me. I didn't think you and Logan would…"

"I know," I said quietly, "But…I just felt ready. And I wanted Logan to like me, so…"

Dad paused before saying, "I'll try to trust you to raise your child."

"You'll _try?"_ I said, feeling a bit hurt and confused. "Promise me you _will_ trust me to raise the baby."

"I promise," replied Dad. "But if this proves to be too difficult for you in any way, let me know."

"I will," I nodded, "Do you think maybe we could look into parenting classes somewhere around town?"

"We will see," said Dad. He was still a bit stiff about it. But I felt better knowing he was beginning to trust me.

The next day, I called Mrs. Franklin to ask her about a parenting class and she said she took one at Bullard House Birth Center on 131 Spring Street and gave me the number. I wasn't entirely sure about it, though; I felt a bit nervous, worrying I'd be judged by the other mothers there. After all, I'd probably be the youngest one.

I started having morning sickness at school, but I usually made it to the bathroom in time, though it was a nuisance to have to get out of class in the middle of a lesson. I was beginning to show ever so slightly, but my cardigans and blouses managed to cover my little bump for the time being.

After school, I decided to call the Bullard House Birth Center to get information to take up parenting classes. I considered eventually asking Logan to come with; the last time I had talked to him, he still seemed kind of shocked but at least he wasn't too mad about it. For the time being, I managed to get the information I needed, and decided to start taking parenting classes over the summer (summer classes were due to start June twenty-fifth). The cost was thankfully low. Dad and Sharon approved when I told them, Dad especially since he could see what I was trying to do.

I was still a bit nervous, but I felt more assured as I began to regain control of the situation, bit by bit.

During the following weekend, Dad and Sharon were working late, and Meredith and Carlos were at their friends' houses, so Dawn and I had our own "girl's night" and rented a movie: _My Cousin Vinnie_. We both laughed really hard at it. After the movie, Dawn and I went out for a bit just to see where the Bullard House Birth Center was. It was only a few blocks away from the mall. After that, we went home and had tofu sandwiches and watched another movie.

"Are you doing okay in school?" asked Dawn.

"I'm still having morning sickness," I sighed. "It's a pain, but what else can you do." Then, "Do you think I should have Logan come with me to the parenting classes? He seems kind of nervous when I talk to him now."

"Well, he's probably been looking after his siblings since they were babies," pointed out Dawn.

"But he was still too young to look after a baby alone those times," I said. "I mean, I'm sure he helped out, but…"

"Here," said Dawn, giving me her cell phone, "Why don't you call him right now?"

I shook my head. "It's okay; I'll just wait until tomorrow. I wouldn't want to waste the battery on your phone."

Just then, Tigger came up to us, and curled up on my lap.

"Hey, Tigger," I said, gently stroking his fur.

It was too quiet without my grandmother. I wished she were here, enjoying the movie with Dawn and me.

"I wish my grandmother would be still here," I sighed, trying not to cry, "I wish she and Kayla both were here."

"Just think of them as your guardian angels," suggested Dawn.

I hoped Dawn's advice would help. I was glad she was helping me move past my grief. I got to more thinking about names. Instead of Verna Alma, I considered naming my daughter Kayla Verna. I figured I would name my son after my favorite star, and my father: Cameron Richard.

I told Dawn my ideas for the names, and she seemed to like them. She said, "I bet Logan would like them as well."

"I'm sure he would, if or when he comes to accept this," I said. I paused. "It's hard to believe that two years for Kayla's death would be here the day after tomorrow."

"Already?" asked Dawn as I nodded.

"I don't know why, but it bothers me on that day," I said, looking back to one of the worst days of my life. "I was barely fifteen when she died. I remember when the doctor mentioned it to me and I thought it was a mistake."

"I remember that, too," said Dawn with a solemn nod.

"Maybe I should visit her grave on her anniversary," I said as I looked down and rubbed my belly.

"She would like that very much," said Dawn. I could tell Dawn missed her, too.

Kayla's funeral and the wake were in New York City since she grew up there. I went to the wake, but it was too painful for me, so I didn't even attend the funeral or the burial.

The movie ended just in time for Dad to come home from work, and we all greeted each other.

"You must be tired from working late," said Dawn.

"A little, but not really," replied Dad with a yawn.

"Did you have dinner yet?" I asked.

"I did. They provided pizza during the meeting," said Dad.

The next day, at school, my back started to hurt, and I was too sore to play in Gym. As soon as I got home, I went straight upstairs to take a warm shower. I looked forward to my next appointment, hoping the baby would look cute in the picture.


	12. The Gender of the Baby is Announced

That night, I began to feel nauseous and lay down on the couch for a little while.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" asked Dad, looking up from his newspaper.

"I'm feeling a little nauseous," I admitted.

"Right, sickness," muttered Dad. He said, "Can I…get you anything?"

"Just some water, please," I said.

Dad still seemed a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but I was glad to see he was becoming more supportive.

Things weren't all happy, however. The two-year anniversary of Kayla's death arrived, which I realized with dread when I woke up on that day. I didn't know just how I would get through the day. I spent most of that day crying in my room, but fortunately I had Dad and Sharon there to comfort me. I looked through my old scrapbook, which reminded me of the days when Kayla was alive and made me even sadder.

I looked up to see Dawn coming in, looking worried. "Mary Anne? Are you okay?"

I wasn't sure how to respond. I sighed, "It's hard to believe it's been two years already. It feels like yesterday. I don't know what to do so it won't be so sad for me every year."

Dawn rubbed my belly. "Isn't it ironic for one life to depart in this world, and for another to arrive almost coincidentally?"

I smiled through my tears.

The next few months almost seemed to fly by, and my little, round belly grew a bit bigger. When the day of the parenting classes arrived, I was so nervous I wouldn't be able to do anything right. Luckily, I managed to remember most of what I had picked up from baby-sitting and did all right.

During the summer, Dad took us on a trip to the Bahamas. I was hit with morning sickness almost the entire time, and I knew I couldn't really swim, but I managed to enjoy myself anyway. During the entire time, I couldn't help but wonder about the looks Meredith and Carlos would exchange with Sharon, almost as though they had something top secret in mind, though they didn't let me know just what it was.

I was hit with a bad back halfway through, which made the experience a bit miserable. Sitting on the recliner helped a bit, though I still had the usual morning sickness to deal with.

When I got back, I went for my next appointment, where I had an ultrasound. I smiled at the grainy, black-and-white image. "How beautiful," I whispered, blinking tears.

"Do you wish to know the gender of the baby?" asked the technician.

"Sure," I said, "I'll surprise everyone."

"Alright," said the technician looking at the screen. After a few minutes of adjusting, the technician announced, "You're going to have a boy."

I decided to stick to my decision to surprise everyone about my having a son. He would be named Cameron Richard, just as I had planned.


	13. The Morning Sickness

Later, back at the summer house, I went down to the beach to join the others, and met up with Sharon.

"How did the ultrasound go?" asked Sharon.

"Just fine," I replied as I showed her the picture. I didn't want to show her the gender of the baby, so I had asked for a picture that wouldn't give anything away.

"Your father is finally getting used to your decision about keeping your child," said Sharon as she ran one thumb over the picture.

"Good," I said. "I just didn't want our relationship to fall apart, ever."

"I know, honey," said Sharon with a nod.

"I didn't know it was going to happen," I sighed, "I also didn't realize I skipped a Yasmin pill. I _thought_ everything would be just fine with Logan and me…"

"Happens to the best of us, I'm afraid," sighed Sharon. "Given how mature you are for your age, I'm sure you'll be a good mother. If you still help at night or get sick anytime, just let one of us know."

"Okay, thanks," I said as I hugged her.

Later, Dawn and I went shopping through gift shops.

"I really like the Bahamas," I said as I picked up a snow globe.

"Me, too," said Dawn. "I find your father worries about stuff lately."

"He thinks if I miss too much school, I'll fall behind," I said, putting the globe back. "But I'll do as much make-up work as I can when I have the time, if my teachers will let me. I hope I won't have _too_ much of a hard time getting up to the baby. I've heard of very few babies sleeping through the night; others get up a _lot. _Dad told me I was a usually good sleeper unless I was sick."

I sighed, "I just want to show Dad that I'll _try_ to be a good mom. Your mother thinks I might be."

That night, we had a picnic on the beach since it was a nice evening. It was fun. Afterwards, my back started to ache.

"Here we go again," I mumbled.

My back felt like it had pins and needles sticking through it. That drove me nuts!

"Are you alright?" asked Sharon.

"I feel pins and needles in my back as usual," I answered with a sigh.

"You can go relax on the recliner," said Sharon.

That's what I did. My vacation in the Bahamas was helping to relieve my grief over Kayla and Grandma Verna a little bit. At midnight, I woke up from a bad dream. It shook me up so badly that I had a bit of a hard time going back to sleep, so I got up and went down to the kitchen. Sharon was also in the kitchen with a glass of milk.

"Is everything okay?" asked Sharon.

"I just had a bad dream, that's all," I sighed, taking the milk carton to pour myself a glass, "I dreamed Kayla was killed by a shark while we were whale watching. Then, I woke up."

"I hoped being in Bahamas would help you to deal with her death," said Sharon.

"A little," I said, taking a sip, "I'm trying hard to put it behind me. It did help me put Grandma Verna's death behind."

"I know," said Sharon, putting her arm around me. "I'm sure it will keep helping you to feel better about Kayla, too."

"I just hope so. I still miss her. If she was alive, I would have chosen her to be the godmother. At least I can choose Kaylee," I said.

"That's true," agreed my stepmother.

I realized something, and remarked on it: "You're never up at midnight. It's usually Dad."

"He was too tired tonight, and I got thirsty," explained Sharon.

"Oh," I said.

The next day, I got up at nine and changed into a nice sundress that also made for a good maternity dress. I brushed my hair, but started feeling sick again.

Sharon stood in the doorway and asked, "Are you ready to go?" Then, she noticed I didn't look too good. "Are you feeling alright this morning?"

"I'm feeling sick," I said. "So, may I stay behind for awhile?"

"Of course," said Sharon gently.

"Are you sure you'll be okay alone?" asked Dad.

"Richard, she'll be fine here by herself. She's not feeling very well this morning. It's not a big deal," said Sharon. "All she's going to do is get some rest."

When they left, I went to the couch to watch some TV. Minutes later, I could no longer hold it down and fled down to the bathroom where I threw up. I rested, and I was watching some TV when Sharon came back.

"How are you doing?" asked Sharon.

"I still don't feel very well this afternoon," I replied. I had started feeling a little bit worse; I wondered if maybe, in addition to my morning sickness, I had also caught a minor bug. Sharon's hand felt cold as she lightly touched my forehead, so I knew I had to be hot.

"You still should stay behind for the rest of the day," said Sharon.

"I think so," I agreed.

That's what I did. I slept in my room for the rest of the day, and woke up the next morning.

"You look better," said Sharon as I came down for breakfast.

"Thank goodness," I said. "I'm going to get some air."

"Okay. Would you like me to join you?" asked Sharon.

"I'd like that very much, thank you," I replied.

Sharon is the best stepmom ever. While we were walking, we talked.

"I'm just concerned about Dad," I said.

"I am, too," said Sharon. "At least he's trying to get used to be the new grandfather."

"True," I agreed. "I want him to know I would still love him when the baby comes and that is not going to change at all."

"I agree with you. Would you still love me, too?" asked Sharon who was teasing me.

"Sharon, what makes you think that I wouldn't love you?" I asked.

"I was teasing you," replied Sharon.

"I knew you were," I smiled as we laughed at that.


	14. The Girls Day Out

That night, Dad and I sat down in the kitchen to talk for awhile. I told him how hurt I felt for locking me out that day.

"I just want you to trust me," I said. "Sharon and Dawn are willing to give me a chance. Do you think maybe you could also try?"

"I'll try, but taking care of a baby at your age is a big responsibility and not everyone can do it," explained Dad.

"You know I'm trying to be responsible," I said, trying to keep myself calm. "I tried to be responsible with Logan, but, well…things happened. And I thought you didn't believe in throwing people out when they make a mistake. Did you remember you used to get mad at Sharon for doing that to me by mistake? If she can't, neither can you. That's hypocrisy."

Dad looked down at his coffee mug and said, "You're right. I'm sorry. From now on, I will try to trust you more."

Our talk made him change back what I wanted him to be: a father who could at least trust me. Several days later, when we got back home, I noticed something very different about the house.

"Hey, is it me or did our house change?" I asked as we walked up to the porch.

"You'll have to wait and see," said Sharon.

"Um, okay," I said, puzzled.

The only thing I noticed was that the inside of the house was slightly bigger, but Sharon said the surprise was upstairs. There was a door next to my room which was closed.

"Why don't you open the door to see it?" asked my stepmom.

When I did, it was a nursery. I gasped in surprise to see the beautifully decorated carpet and the walls, along with a chair in the corner and bright yellow walls.

"Like it?" asked Sharon.

"I love it. Thank you so much," I said as I hugged her happily. I felt so lucky to have Sharon for my stepmom, and I shed tears of joy.

"Do you think I could show it to Dad?" I asked.

"Of course," replied Sharon.

I went to Dad, but he was busy unpacking and said he would see what I had to show him later after supper. Unfortunately, he was back to doing paperwork at the time, but he explained to me he had been busy getting caught up with work and that was why he couldn't come to me right away. Once he was done, I showed him the nursery, and he was impressed with the work that had been put into it.

So far, there were no new baby clothes in the drawers, but Sharon had offered for us to go shopping for some the following day. The next day, we left for Wal-Mart, and April went with us.

"If I tell you the gender, keep it between us," I said as we walked down the baby clothes aisle. "I'm having a boy, and naming him Cameron Richard." Sharon and April liked the name very much.

At Wal-Mart, I found some new pajamas, along with some new pants and shirts. We decided to buy some baby formula and food a bit later when the baby was old enough to wean or eat solid food. Afterwards, we went to Subway for lunch. After lunch, we went back to my house and unpacked the bags. April helped us by putting the clothes in the drawers. April had remembered the shoes, socks, and carriage.

It was definitely the best summer ever, one I would never forget.


	15. The Birthday Plan

A month later, it was the first day of my senior year at high school. It came by so fast. I would be in college next year and my son would be a couple months old, which excited me. My stomach had grown much bigger. It would remain like that for the rest of my pregnancy until Cameron was born. I couldn't wait for that day to come. And, I would turn seventeen in a few weeks, which was also exciting.

In one of my classes, my back ached. What else is new? I had to lean back a bit to rest on it.

"Sit up straight please," said the teacher.

"Sorry, my back is hurting a bit," I apologized.

My back ached until the end of the class. In gym, I had to sit out since I couldn't do a lot of strenuous exercising. I had already given the teacher a note to excuse me from gym until after Christmas vacation. The gym teacher, Mrs. Locklair, was nice about it. I don't like gym, as I hate sports, but I was slowly starting to like the class itself. April was better at it than I am, but I didn't care too much, though. I remembered the days when I had class with Kristy, and I realized how much I miss her.

While I was sitting on the bleachers, I began to feel nauseous and fled out of class and straight to the girl's room to be sick. When I came back, April asked if I was feeling all right and I explained to her how I had just been sick. She understood.

I came home after school just in time for Dawn to leave for work. I did my homework sitting up on my bed, and my back continued to bother me. I was still able to move around a bit, which was good. I went downstairs to get a glass of water, and noticed Sharon.

"How was your first day of your senior year?" asked Sharon.

"Fine," I replied as I took a drink.

"That's good," smiled Sharon. "When are you starting shop?"

"Not for another two weeks, I'm in 12-1, which means that I have classes first," I told her.

"I see," said Sharon. "It's almost time to apply for college."

"I know," I said. "I still want to go Stoneybrook Community College to take up Fashion Design."

Just then, the phone rang, and I went to pick up.

"Hello," I said.

"Mary Anne?" asked a voice I recognized. I realized it was Kristy.

"Hi, Kristy, what's happening?" I asked.

"Nothing much," said Kristy.

I sighed, "I miss you girls so much. We should get together some time."

"How about for your birthday?" asked Kristy. "That's why I want to call you a few weeks ahead of time."

"Okay. How about this way? I'll go there for my birthday and you girls can come for either holiday," I said. "It would be over the weekend anyway. It's on a Saturday this year."

"That's a deal," said Kristy. "Are you in any of April's classes?"

"All of them, including gym," I replied.

A few minutes after we talked, Dad came home from work.

"You're home early today," said Sharon.

"I figured I'd take you all out for dinner," said Dad with a grin.

Unfortunately, Meredith and Carlos couldn't join us as they were working. Meredith turned seventeen before spring break and Carlos is sixteen going on seventeen next month. He works at Subway serving sandwiches and Meredith has a job at Shop and Shop as both a cashier and bagger. I've considered finding a job so I can pay for college and support my son. While dad was in the shower, I went to Sharon.

"Sharon, do you know if there's any kind of job I could get at my age?" I asked.

"You could try Walgreens," suggested Sharon. "I'd suggest waiting until after you come back from Stoneybrook, though, before making any final decisions."

Afterwards, the three of us went out to supper at Friendly's. Dad agreed to the idea of my going to see the other girls for my birthday, and also for the idea of them coming for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. While we were at the restaurant, I noticed April with her family. We were surprised to see each other, and got around to talking.

"Do you have plans on your birthday?" asked April.

"Yes, I'll be away on the weekend," I said.

April said she had been hoping to hang out with me on my birthday. We came to the solution to celebrate my birthday with her a few days before I leave. I was glad to arrive at such an easy solution so easily.


	16. The Birthday Adventure at the Mall

I drove to school the next day thinking about what I wanted to do for my birthday. When I was at my locker, I got a text from Kristy saying she and the other girls had decided to come visit me for my birthday instead and I liked the idea. I shut it off before I went to class. In English, my back just _killed_ me. It drove me nuts when that happened!

My back finally felt less sore after gym was over, but it still drove me nuts. That would drive me nuts to be honest with you. I had just left the building when my cell phone rang. The Franklin's were calling me on an emergency sitting job because Luca was having terrible stomach pains, and they needed someone to look after Lila.

I called Dad to let him know what was going on. I didn't have to feed Lila as she had already been fed before Luca's pains showed up. I played board games with Lila, and we watched a movie together. I had just helped her finish up her homework when her parents came back a few hours later. They told me Luca had his appendix removed and was now in a deep sleep after the surgery.

"Thank you again for coming," said Mr. Franklin with a weary smile.

"Do you need me tomorrow?" I asked.

"I'm off tomorrow," said Mr. Franklin. "But thank you for offering."

He paid me and I went home. At home, I had some pizza that Dad ordered.

"It's hard to believe you'll already be seventeen," said Dad.

"I know," I said. "I'm not sure what I want to do yet. Kristy said she thought about coming over here for my birthday instead, and bringing the rest of the former BSC. What do you think?"

"Fine by me," said Dad. "They're good girls."

Later, I thought about spending some time at the mall or a flea market and perhaps, have a picnic dinner on the beach or something. I didn't think Dad and Sharon would mind too much. Carlos, Meredith, and Dawn wouldn't be working on my birthday, so they'd be able to spend the day celebrating with me. I really looked forward to it.

The next day, I had some difficulty breathing at school, so I went to the school nurse. I could barely wait for Dad to pick me up, and I had nearly passed out when we arrived at the hospital. I had been there for a while when I was younger; I've had breathing problems since I was fifteen. Now, they had turned into asthma.

I was given some treatment to help me breathe better, and eventually I felt much better. I was given a type of asthmatic medication that would not harm the baby, and soon I went back to school.

A week later, on Friday, Kristy called me after school to tell me that she and the others were on their way now. I could hardly wait to see them again to be honest with you. They arrived two hours later, while Dad and Sharon were at work, and I was glad to see them.

"Hi!" I exclaimed.

"Hi!" said Kristy. She leaned in to give me a hug, but then stopped when she saw my large belly.

"I wanted to surprise you," I said shyly. "I'm pregnant."

The other girls first looked surprised, then Jessi spoke: "Wow."

" 'Wow' is one way to put it!" I laughed.

"Your dad's okay with this?" said Kristy. "I remember him being pretty strict."

"Well, yeah, we did go through a rough patch for a while after I told him," I admitted. I decided to leave out the part about being locked out; I was almost certain by now it was an honest mistake, and even if it wasn't, it was in the past. "But he's accepted it now. He and Sharon both have been a lot of help to me." I changed the subject: "April is joining us tomorrow, since she's got dinner plans with her family tonight."

I hoped the girls looked forward to meeting April; I was sure they'd get along great.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" said Stacey.

"I'm thinking we could go to the mall, and then maybe for a picnic dinner on the beach," I suggested. The other girls liked this idea. I decided to also tell them about my asthma. They were worried, but relaxed when I told them it was now under control.

I took the girls upstairs to see the nursery room. They all loved it. We got to talking about the baby some more. They had quickly figured out Logan was the father, but they were sure he'd be a pretty good dad. I was sure he would, too.

That night, Dad ordered Chinese for dinner. The girls and I got into our nightgowns at ten and didn't go to bed until midnight after we chatted for awhile so we ccould catch up just like old times.

The next day, when I got up, I could hardly believe that I was now seventeen.

"Happy birthday, peanut," said Dad as came down for breakfast.

"Thanks, Dad," I said with a smile.

Sharon had made us all pancakes for breakfast, which we all enjoyed. I went to the mall with April and my friends, and then we watched _My Cousin Vinny_ when we went home. We all laughed hysterically while watching it. For dinner, we had pizza, and ate it on the beach. It was such a beautiful night.

The next day, I had to say goodbye to the girls at the train station. I was sad to see them go, but I felt glad for the time we had shared. I hoped I could at least get to have them come to see the baby.


	17. Mary Anne's New Job

That night, I thought about getting a job to support my child, as I knew Logan lived too far away to do much. I got paid five dollars an hour for baby-sitting, but I wasn't sure if that would be enough. I wondered if they'd need me when their third child arrived. I decided to see if Portland Public Library or Borders were hiring the next day after school.

In the middle of the night, I had an asthma attack, but felt better after I took my medication. Morning sickness struck a few hours later, but I continued to feel ill throughout the morning. On top of that, I had a headache, and Dad worried that I was pale. I ran a bit of a fever, so I was kept home from school. It was probably just a minor bug, but better safe than sorry, right?

I felt better at two, but took it easy for another hour before leaving at three to see if Borders was hiring. I went in to ask for a job application to fill out later. Then, I checked out Portland Public Library, and I also received an application. I filled out both while I was waiting for my doctor's appointment at three thirty-five. By the time I was done, it was time for my appointment.

The doctor assured me everything was fine with the baby, and that my son would be born healthy as long as I continued to take care of myself. Afterwards, I dropped off both applications at Borders and the library on the way home. I started feeling sick again, so I relaxed on the couch. Sharon said she and Dad would be meeting Carlos at Subway for dinner, and that Dawn and Meredith would be joining them. She said I could come, too, if I felt better by then.

I still didn't feel too good an hour later, but my parents did offer to get me something from Subway, so I asked for a cup of vegetable soup and a BLT sub. It was a good thing I chose to stay home because my nausea grew worse a couple minutes after Dad and Sharon left. And once again, my back was killing me. My back still hurt when Dad and Sharon came back, but the nausea had subsided, so I had the soup and BLT sub, and they both managed to stay down.

"You're still pale," said Dad as he placed one hand on my forehead. "You're still warm a bit."

"I was nauseous, but my stomach feels a little better now," I said. I let out a content sigh after taking another sip of my soup. "And my back hurt again, but I'll be fine as long as I don't move around _too_ much."

Just then, the phone rang and Dad answered it.

"Hello," said Dad. "…This is her father…Hold on." Dad walked over to me with the phone and handed it over to me.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hi, this is Mr. Stan Steidley, the head librarian at Portland Public Library," said Mr. Steidley. "Can you come in for an interview?"

"Sure. When would you like to do it?" I asked.

"I'm available tomorrow at five. Is that good for you?" asked the head librarian.

"Sounds good to me," I replied.

"See you then. If you can't, call me to reschedule," said Mr. Steidley.

"Okay, thank you very much," I said as we got off the phone. "Wow! That was fast. That was Mr. Stan Steidley, who is the head librarian, asking me to go in for an interview tomorrow at five."

"That is great," said Dad. "I'm glad to see you taking on the responsibility."

"I bet you'd be hired right off the bat," said Sharon with a wink.

"The thing is I can't bend down if I put the books back on the shelf during pregnancy," I said. "I'll have to tell Mr. Steidley during the interview ahead of time, or maybe offer to do something that doesn't involve shelving."

The next day, I was nervous before the interview, but I didn't think about it during school as I had to pay attention. At lunch, I told April about it and she was happy for me.

"I'm a little nervous though," I admitted.

"I promise you that you'll do fine," said April with a grin.

"Okay," I smiled back, trusting April's comfort words.

After school, Mr. Franklin called me and said, "Are you available now? I have to work late."

"I can't stay for long because I got a job interview at five," I said. "Want me to check to see if April's free, though?"

I asked April and she agreed to the job. I called Mr. Franklin back to let him know April would be coming.

At home, I took a nice, hot shower; afterwards, I put on a blue, sequined dress that fit nicely over my curved stomach. I was all set by four-fifteen and left about fifteen minutes later. When I got to the library, I walked over to Mr. Steidley, introduced myself, and our interview began.

I told him I wouldn't be able to do much heavy lifting or bending because of my pregnancy, and he told me he'd probably give me a job working at the front desk. I told him I was due December twentieth, and we'd work out the finer details of when I'd be leaving later. Finally, I said that I was available after school and on weekends. He asked if I could to from four to eight on school nights, and noon to eight on Saturdays and school vacations. I told him I could, and he gave me the job, and said I'd start Monday. Great!

After that, I drove to Portland Bank and signed up for my own account so I would be paid. After that was all set, I went back home. I knew April was probably at the Franklins. Mr. Franklin would be home after nine. But for now, I'd have a nice, delicious dinner.

"Hi, how was the interview?" asked Dad

"Great. I got hired," I replied as I sat down and struggled to get comfortable in my chair.

"Wonderful!" said Sharon excitedly.

"That's my girl. When are you starting?" asked Dad.

I told them about my working hours, and how I had set up my own account at the bank, and that I was starting work Monday. Then Dad asked if I'd have time to baby-sit the Franklin kids. I realized I probably wouldn't have much time at all as I knew the managers wouldn't like it if I took time off work to baby-sit. I decided I'd talk with April later and see if she'd be willing to be a temporary baby-sitter for the Franklin's, and that I'd also explain the situation to the Franklin's as well.

Boy, this sure was getting to be one, busy day!


	18. Mary Anne's First Day at the Library

When I left home, I was _really _nervous on what I should tell the Franklins, so on the way, I was thinking about what words I should use otherwise so I wouldn't upset them. When I arrived at their house, April greeted me at the door.

"How did the interview go?" asked April.

"I got hired," I replied with a big grin.

"Swell!" April cried out in a low voice; I figured the kids were asleep if she used such a low tone.

"I know, but I have a favour to ask from you," I said.

"Spill the beans," said April.

"I can't baby-sit the Franklin kids except Sundays, so would you mind if you take over if they need you during the week?" I said. "My hours would be four to eight on school nights and noon to eight on Saturdays and school vacations."

"Sure, not a problem. We just need to tell Mr. Franklin so he can let his wife know," said April.

"I'm not sure what should I say to him. What if I disappoint him or something?" I asked.

"We can tell him together if you want," replied April.

"Okay," I said, glad to have April's support.

But I was still nervous about what might happen. At least I could count on April to support me. I felt really lucky to have her as my good friend. In some ways, she almost reminded me of Kristy.

At nine-ten, Mr. Franklin came home from work and I took him aside to talk to him.

"Um, Mr. Franklin, may I ask you something?" I asked, fidgeting with my hands.

"What's up?" asked Mr. Franklin.

"I have a new job working at Portland Public Library, so I won't be able to baby-sit during the week or Saturdays. Only because I would be working from four to eight on school nights and noon to eight on Saturdays and school vacations. Is it okay if I recommend someone else like April?" I asked. "But I can baby-sit anytime on Sundays. Is that alright?"

"Okay, I'm glad you let me know ahead of time. When are you starting your new job?" asked Mr. Franklin.

"Monday," I replied.

"Alright. I'll tell my wife so she would know," said Mr. Franklin.

"Okay, great," I said. "I was a bit nervous to say something because I wasn't sure what would happen. I didn't want to upset you."

Mr. Franklin just chuckled and said, "It's okay to tell me anything as long as you tell me early enough."

I felt better after that. April stood by my side in case I needed her. I'd do the same, but to tell you the truth, she _never_ gets nervous about about anything. I wished I didn't get so nervous, either.

At home, Dad said, "How did it go when you talked things out with April and Mr. Franklin?"

"Great. April agreed to take over during the week and I told him I can do it anytime on Sundays. He didn't mind at all," I said.

"That's good," said Dad.

I let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank goodness the Franklins know April."

We went out for dinner on Friday night at Red Lobster. A few days flew by after that when Monday came and it would be my first day at Portland Public Library. I couldn't wait to get started. This would be great. I wondered if I should work at Stoneybrook Public Library if or when I planned to go to college in Stoneybrook.

I talked with Sharon and Dad about it, and they liked the idea, as long as I took my homework with me and did it over the break. It was a long ways from now, and I'd most likely have to take my son with me, but it was good to think ahead.

At school, we had an English test that included multiple choices, and short answers. I did much better with multiple choices than I did with the short answers. While I was taking my test, my back began hurting me again. I just_hated_it when that happened. It could be_very_hard to ignore to be honest with you.

Later, in study hall—which came before lunch—I was doing my math and history homework since there was no homework in English that day. I finished my homework by noon. Thankfully, there was no science homework that day.

After school, I drove to Portland Public Library. I parked in the staff parking lot, and then I went inside the library. Mr. Steidley wasn't in, but a woman with glasses and frizzy hair stood by the entrance.

"You must be Mary Anne Spier," said the woman.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm starting today."

"Mr. Steidley told me. He just left for a meeting, but he's due back in an hour or so," said the woman.

"Okay. I'm supposed to be at the front desk because I can't bend down too much during pregnancy," I said.

"He told me that as well. Do you know how to use the scanner for the books, movies, music, etc when they're checked out and returned?" asked the woman.

"I come here often and I have a good idea on how that works," I nodded.

"Terrific," said the woman. "I'm Lily Porter. I'll be using the other computer to check out and return items."

I did pretty well with using the scanner. Thank goodness I already knew how to use it. Mr. Steidley returned just when Mrs. Porter said he would.

"How are you doing?" asked Mr. Steidley.

"She's been doing great. She already knows how to scan items," said Mrs. Porter.

"Good," said Mr. Steidley. He turned to me. "I can see you'll do just fine here."

My first day at the library completed successfully, and my back hardly ever hurt at all, thank God!

"So, when are you due?" asked Mrs. Porter while we were getting ready to close up.

"In December," I replied.

I'm glad I did just fine like Mr. Steidley said. I came home at around eight-thirty.

"How was your first day at Portland Public Library?" asked Dad.

"Great," I said. "I was able to scan items correctly."

"That's good," said Dad with a smile and a nod.

"I know," I smiled back.

I was _so _tired that I didn't stay up for long and went to bed an hour later. I fell asleep, glad to have had a successful day.


	19. The Halloween Reading Day

I worked hard every day and started to earn money, which I hoped would be enough for both my college tuition and for supporting my child. After working there for a month, Mr. Steidley approached me.

"Every year, around two or three days before Halloween, we hold a small, Halloween-themed party for children coming by. Nothing fancy, though we do have staff members dress up and read stories to the children. Afterwards, we give them a bookmark and a few candies to take home," said Mr. Steidley.

"Do their parents come, too?" I asked.

"Yes, they greatly enjoy it as well," said Mr. Steidley. "Would you like to volunteer to read to the kids?"

"Sure, I'd love to," I said. Then I asked, "Does Luca Franklin come here for the readings?"

"Yes. He enjoys that," said Mr. Steidley.

"Good," I said. "I used to be Luca's baby-sitter for a few years, but now my good friend has taken over for a while. Anyway, what time will the event be at?"

"It's usually at four or five," replied Mr. Steidley.

"I could talk with April and see if she can bring Luca, and maybe his sister," I said.

Later, after work, I knew April was home because Mrs. Franklin was on vacation from work, so when I got home, I called April and told her about the reading coming up. She said she might be able to come, and all was well.

Except for my physical condition, that is. I had a terrible headache at night, and my back continued to hurt. "What else is new," I sighed out loud. I wished I didn't have such a sore back as it was a _big_ pain. I eventually fell asleep, but the next day, my back was stiff and I could barely move.

Dad came in to check on me, and offered to give me a heating pad. "Sounds good," I said with a grateful smile.

After he gave me the pad, he called up school to let them know I'd be staying home today to rest my back. I just prayed it would be better before I could go in for work since I had never missed a day so far since I hadn't been sick- thankfully- and I wanted to keep it that way even though Mr. Steidley wouldn't mind too much. He would understand since I told him about my pregnancy difficulties.

Later, I could walk around okay, but my back _still_ ached. Thankfully, I sat most of the time at work and stood up once in a while, so it wasn't too bad. A few weeks later, the day before the Halloween reading day, I helped Mr. Steidley by getting one or two Halloween books. I got out _Arthur's Halloween _and _It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown_. Mr. Steidley liked those choices.

With the help of other staff members, we each filled up five baggies with candy and bookmarks to hand out to the children. I had to work on Halloween since it was on a Friday this year, but I didn't mind at all since I enjoyed my job.

At four-thirty, I had to leave work because I had another pre-natal appointment for five, so I went off and I was told everything was just fine.

After work, at home, I was tired and went to bed after Dad and I talked for awhile. The next day, at work, I got ready to do some reading to the kids.

Luca came with April since Mrs. Franklin was at home taking care of Lila, who had a cold. Once the last few children who signed up for the reading came, I sat down in a rocking chair and read _Arthur's Halloween _and they all enjoyed it. I also read _It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown_. I heard someone talking, so I politely reminded them to be quiet and went back to reading, which went well without any more interruptions.

I decided to help them draw their Halloween costumes with Mr. Steidley's permission since they did that every year on the Halloween themed reading day. By the time they were done with their pictures of costumes, it was over and I gave them each a bag of treats and a bookmark on their way out.

It was a great Halloween overall, and it made me look forward to the day I'd get to take my son to a reading like this.


	20. Happy Thanksgiving Day

A month later on a Monday morning, Sharon had news for us: Her parents would be coming in to Stoneybrook to spend the weekend with us! I could hardly believe it, as the Porters still lived in Stoneybrook. I couldn't wait for them to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with us, especially since my working hours would be shorter on the days leading up to Thanksgiving, and I'd get the day off on the holiday itself.

"Did you tell them that I'm pregnant?" I asked.

"I figured I'd let you tell them," replied my stepmother.

"Thanks," I said as I hugged her.

I had wondered about that. Later, before I went to work, I went in for my next appointment. My son was doing fine. I had one more appointment about five days before my due date, which would be on the fifteenth of December at three o'clock. I could hardly believe I only had one more month until little Cameron arrived. I hoped he'd be my early Christmas present.

"The rest of my family still doesn't know it's a boy," I told the doctor as I got ready to go. "I can't wait for them to be surprised."

The doctor said, "I might excuse you from work after Thanksgiving Vacation since it would be about a few weeks before your due date."

"Do you want me to see you on the following Monday after Thanksgiving?" I asked.

The doctor agreed to that. At work, I went to Mr. Steidley and told him about my step grandparents coming in, and also what the doctor said about my being excused from work. I was so tired when I got home, but I did manage to tell Dad about my next appointment.

A few weeks later, I reminded Mr. Steidley about Granny and Pop-Pop's Thanksgiving visit. They would be here the day before Thanksgiving.

"I got a half-day the day before Thanksgiving, so I'll be here a little early," I said. "I'll be out at eleven A.M."

"Okay," said the head librarian. "Thank you for reminding me."

"Not a problem," I said.

A week later, when I got up on the Wednesday morning, I felt sick to my stomach. Sharon let me stay home, though I still felt pretty awful. I got up to get some water, then went back to bed and slept for two hours. When I woke up, I heard Dad coming in. At first I thought it was just sounds around the house until he came upstairs.

"You're home already?" I asked, surprised to see him.

"Yes, the meeting just ended awhile ago. Sharon already called me to tell me you were home," said Dad. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm still feeling a little sick, I was going to into work early, but I think I'll call Mr. Steidley to tell him I won't be in so I can rest," I said. After I did this, Dad offered to make me some soup, but I wasn't feeling well, and so I continued to rest. I nibbled on soda crackers, but nothing else.

Later, I woke up on the verge of an asthma attack, but I had my medicine, and I was able to control it before it got out of hand. I came downstairs to see Granny and Pop-Pop had already arrived. They could see that I was pregnant from how large I had grown. I told them I was due right before Christmas, and they looked a little taken aback by the news.

"I'm surprised that you're letting her raise it," remarked Pop-Pop.

"We had some difficulty understanding at first, but now I trust her to be responsible enough to do this," said Dad.

Happy as I was to see my other grandparents, it was not an entirely happy occasion. Tomorrow would be the anniversary of the day Kayla died for twenty-nine months. I was determined to not let it get in the way of bothering my Thanksgiving. I was quiet throughout dinner, and most of the evening.

The next day, I decided to put "that" memory aside to enjoy Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful dinner together as a family. I felt a little sick after dinner, but it didn't last for very long.

I was glad to not let Kayla's death hold me down and prevent me from enjoying the time I had with my family. I hoped this meant I could finally move past Kayla.


	21. It's a Boy!

On Monday, I saw Dr. Andrews on the way to work and she gave me time off on maternity leave. Mr. Steidley was informed and all was well.

At home, I sat on the couch during dinner, as Dad and Sharon were out. I enjoyed having Tigger for company. Then, I got a call from April, who was baby-sitting for the Franklin's that night as Mrs. Franklin had gone into labour and April had to baby-sit. She told me that there were some complications, as the baby had to be born by c-section, and it was a girl named Julia Marie. I thought the name sounded lovely.

After we chatted for a while, I began to feel a little tired. I called up Logan to see if he could arrange to visit over Christmas break, as the baby was due around that time. He said he might be a little busy, but he'd see what he could arrange. I called up Jessi to arrange for a time when she might be able to come in after Kwanza to see my baby, or otherwise just to visit, as I did not want her to miss out on the opportunity.

A few days later, at the doctor's office, I learned that Cameron was doing fine. I was both excited and nervous about my approaching due date. It felt like it would _never_ end! I arrived home _just_ in time to hear the weather forecast from the TV predicting a heavy snowstorm.

Sure enough, the forecast was right, and it was _still_ snowing hard the next day. As the day wore on, I felt tired, and went to bed at nine. I woke up at midnight to wet sheets; being tired, I thought I had wet myself, but then I felt sharp cramps and realized my water had broke.

"Oh no," I hissed, "oh no oh no oh _no…"_

I took a few deep breaths to keep myself calm and I got out of bed to wake up Meredith. I told her that it was time, and she went to get Sharon and Dad. They were worried about how we'd manage to get there, but with slow, careful driving, we finally made it. The entire time, I was on edge, trying to remain calm, hoping that Cameron would be safe.

At the hospital, the doctor said I was only two centimeters at the moment since I'd have to be at least ten centimeters to push, assuming the head was in the right position. Luckily, my baby would be born healthy since I handled my diabetes just fine. It was a long, hard wait, and I kept hoping, praying, that everything would turn out all right, as I had heard that most babies born to teenage mothers didn't do so well at birth.

The next day, I was finally fit to give birth at five in the afternoon. I was in _so_ much pain! I cried out as I pushed, the entire time wanting it to be over already. The doctors kept telling me to stay calm and breathe, but it was pretty scary.

I wasn't sure how long it lasted, but after what felt like an eternity, I heard a cry fill the room. I realized after a few seconds that it was Cameron crying, and my heart filled with relief and joy.

"It's a boy," said the doctor as he cut the umbilical cord and held my son up. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," I breathed, smiling. After Cameron was cleaned up, he was placed in my arms. With his small tuft of hair and sweet face, he looked so beautiful. I cried softly and held him close while he slept.

After a few minutes, Sharon and Dad were the first to come in. Cameron was still asleep.

"He's beautiful," said Sharon with a smile.

"Thanks, Sharon," I smiled.

"He looks a little like me from my own baby pictures," remarked Dad.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes," said Dad with a nod and smile. "What's his name?"

"This," I said, holding him up slightly, "is Cameron Richard."

"Cameron Richard Spier," mused Sharon. "What a wonderful name."

"Thanks," I said, still smiling brightly. "I can't wait for my siblings to come in and meet him. Are they still here?"

"Yes, I'll go get them," said Sharon. She opened the door slightly and gestured. Meredith, Carlos, and Dawn came in, and they all gasped at the sight of Cameron. They all thought he was adorable. Carlos suggested calling him "Cam" for short.

Cameron and I were released two days later. He slept on the way home, so I put him in his crib, hoping he would be a good sleeper.

On the day Jessi was to arrive, I called and told her to lightly knock on the door when she arrived and not to ring the doorbell. Eventually, Jessi arrived, and I took her upstairs to see Cameron.

"This is Cameron Richard," I whispered.

"Aww, he's so adorable," whispered Jessi with a smile.

"Don't tell anyone it's a boy," I said. "I want it to be a surprise."

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed," promised Jessi.

I had a good feeling that this was going to be a lovely reunion.


	22. Merry Christmas

Being a responsible, teenage mother had its challenges, but with some good thinking I felt I could handle them. I was able to feed Cameron with ease. Jessi seemed to be enjoying her visit so far, so I told her about the Franklins and their baby. From what I had heard, Julie Marie was fussy but the Franklins could handle it.

I later changed Cameron's diaper and he seemed happy. I put him in adorable fuzzy lamb pyjamas. Half an hour later, I sat and rocked him in the chair, placed near his crib. I sang softly and quietly to him until at last, he fell asleep, and I placed him in his crib.

When Dad came home later that night, I told him how my day had went, and he was glad to hear all went well.

Then he told me that he planned to check on me and Cameron every day after work and in the morning after I got up to him at night. I was used to the idea even though it might drive me crazy. Maybe he could let me be on my own after awhile. I decided to wait and see what would happen first.

In the middle of the night, I heard Cam crying and I got up to him.

"Mommy's here," I said, picking him up and gently rocking him. He was hungry, so I heated up a bottle of formula for him. He cried during the whole five minutes I had to prepare the bottle for him, and I wondered to myself if I should breastfeed him instead to save the extra time, so I did, and decided to save the bottle for another time. He fell asleep after that.

Cameron woke up again at six-thirty. This time, he needed a diaper change, and after I changed his diaper I figured he'd need me to hold him for a little while as he was still very fussy. Once again, I sat in the chair and rocked him to sleep. I could tell this was going to be difficult, but rewarding.

Dad was glad to hear I could handle Cameron relatively well, but warned me that taking care of a baby was no walk in the park. I had figured that out for myself by then. He admitted that he was worried I'd get worn down from this, but I assured him that if it ever got to be too much for me I would ask him to step in.

Just after we talked, Cameron needed his diaper changed again, and was still a little fussy, but calmed down after another gentle rocking. I put him back in the crib, and he seemed fine.

Two hours later, April came by. I introduced her to little Cameron, and she thought he was adorable. Cameron continued to cry on and off for the rest of the day—sometimes, he slept two hours; others times, he slept four. I had been told that I was an easy baby, and I hoped _this_ was "easy" enough!

He fell asleep between six and eight-thirty. Jessi had to leave early to take a ten o'clock flight. She left at seven-thirty. She took a cab to get to the airport to give herself plenty of time to check in and to let us sleep. I knew she had to leave early because she told me last night before we went to bed.

After a few days with Cameron, I helped decorate the house while he was napping.

"I can't believe this'll be Cameron's first Christmas," I sighed, getting teary-eyed at the thought of how big Cameron would be this time next year. I considered having Logan help around a bit during his stay here. I wouldn't want to put _too_ much pressure on him, though, considering he'd only be here for a few days.

I was thankful for help from my siblings, as I felt I'd be nothing if I didn't have them to support me. I was also immensely grateful to have Sharon around. And as for Dad? He's been putting a lot more effort into it, and I had to give him credit for that. He assured me he'd always be there to step in if I ever needed help, but that he did trust me.

On Christmas Eve, I got a package in the mail from Jessi. I read the card: _To Cameron for his first Christmas. From Auntie Jessi._

I opened it, and it was a bib saying _My First Christmas_.

"Isn't this cute, Cameron?" I asked, lightly bouncing him in my arms.

I put it on him and he looked so cute in it.

"Let's go show to the others," I said.

I did and they all thought he looked adorable. I called Jessi up and thanked her for the lovely gift.

Later, Cameron was, well, a little horrible sleeper. He woke up several times during the night, for one feed, and several diaper changes. It really bugged me, and there were times where I felt like bursting into tears, but I managed to pull through. At some point, Cameron seemed to _stay_ asleep, and I collapsed into bed.

I woke up late the next morning to the smell of gingerbread pancakes. I went downstairs and found my Dad in the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Dad," I said.

"Merry Christmas," said Dad with a smile. "I'm very proud of you for how you've been handling Cameron so far. I'll think about limiting the amount of times I'll check on you."

I had a great Christmas. I had two new dresses, a new nightgown, and a new scrapbook for Cameron's first year. That night, we had chicken breast with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and squash. At eight, I put my new nightgown on and it looked very nice on me.

The next day, today was the day my other friends were due to arrive. I could hardly wait for it. I also couldn't wait to see Logan. At last, they all arrived at eleven. I greeted everyone with a hug and a smile, and an extra big smile for Logan. I took them up to the nursery to see Cameron.

"Logan, meet your son," I announced. "His name is Cameron Richard."

"He's so cute," cooed Stacey.

"When was he born?" asked Mallory.

"December sixteenth. I was four days early," I replied. "Even though he was early, my family has been very helpful. It gets pretty tiring when he cries at night," I admitted. "But babies will be babies."

Later, when Cameron started getting hungry, I started to show Logan how to prepare the formula, but he did just fine on his own. He even got to hold Cameron and feed him. Later, he changed Cameron's diaper. I was proud of him for how good he was at this, and I was certain he'd be a great father. I felt sad that he lived across state, because if he lived closer by, he and Cameron would probably get along great.

I smiled at the sight of Logan singing a lullaby to Cameron, and somehow, I felt that everything would be fine.

The End


End file.
